October 2, 2009
why ever think persons are good?
First of all I'm glad to be back.Secondly I have a question
from In the Aeroplane Over the Sea:
"He didn't mean to make you cry
With sparks that ring and bullets fly"
Isn't this the most absurd and senseless part of the otherwise perfect song?
Or could he not have meant to make her cry?
Assuming that this is about "him" bursting into random homes and killing whomever he finds, could he not have meant to make her cry? Maybe we ought to shuck the line off and worry about the next one about rings around ones heart.
The metaphorical language about intimacy and wet togetherness is obviously a strength of the album, but, if this isn't someone meaning to make someone cry, what could be?
An officer did something terrible, but with better intentions than most.
Could some one mean to make someone cry? No.
Obviously that's too idealistic. Then we would think everyone is great without wondering why humans cause so many problems. We can't do that.
What do those lines mean?
by goat at 11:46 PM |
2 Comments:
I don't routinely think as much as this post made me do. Refreshing as it was before heading to work, I think my response is simple: that portion is probably the least concrete in the song and I can't figure out what it means.
I think you're right. Looking back on the post, I'm fairly sure I was using the song only as a point of departure from which to maneuver into the territory of my following post.
Somehow the notion of attributing good intentions to a murderous SS officer forced the question about when and whether it makes sense to say how one's intentions could contradict one's actions.
Frankly, I doubt I could say anything substantial about how these lines function with the rest of the song.
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